TSA Consulting with DHS S&T Ahead of Wider Facial Recognition Rollout

The Transportation Security Administration says it is in “the beginning stages” of an effort to integrate facial recognition technology into self-serve kiosks at airports across the country.

The initiative is part of a collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) research arm to ensure the effectiveness and accuracy of the technology. The new generation of Credential Authentication Technology (CAT) scanners, named CAT-2 units, are equipped with facial recognition capabilities, designed to match travelers’ live images with their photo IDs.

The TSA first started testing CAT-2 kiosks in 2020. It announced plans to deploy the technology across all US airports last July, after pilots of face-scanning “CAT-2” terminals at 25 airports. Now, the TSA tells Nextgov/FCW that CAT-2 units have been installed at 30 airports, and that it is working with the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate to analyze performance data ahead of a wider rollout.

The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Its primary mission is to develop and implement a wide range of technological solutions and scientific advancements to support the various operational components of DHS, including but not limited to, border security, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and disaster resilience.

DHS S&T works on research and development projects, often in collaboration with other government agencies, private industry, academia, and national laboratories, to create and deploy innovative tools, technologies, and knowledge to help DHS achieve its mission of safeguarding the United States.

The TSA says that it has deployed over 450 “CAT-2 upgrade kits utilizing the facial recognition technology” in the past year, a further indication of how its efforts to get the technology in place across America have been ramping up.

Source: NextGov/FCW

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January 29, 2024 – by the FindBiometrics Editorial Team